The French Vincent Fichot, whose children were abducted in 2018 by their Japanese mother, began a third week of hunger strike in Tokyo on Sunday, disappointed that the intervention of the French president "
does not change the situation
."
While in Tokyo for the opening of the Olympic Games, Emmanuel Macron spoke on Saturday with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of the “
extremely tragic situation
” of Vincent Fichot, according to the Elysee.
The French presidency has also expressed its desire to achieve “
results
” and spoke of a “
priority
”.
Read also: Frenchman Vincent Fichot on hunger strike in Tokyo to see his children again
"
It's good that Suga and Macron have nevertheless spoken of my case (...), but that does not change the situation in which my children are, so I continue
", declared Sunday Mr. Fichot to the AFP.
“
France does not even know if my children are alive or not, and the relationship between Japan and France is described as exceptional (...).
It's amazing, it's the "business" before and our children after,
"he was indignant on Saturday.
The French president did not see Mr. Fichot during his two-day visit to Tokyo.
Elysée advisers met him in his place.
Increasingly degraded health
Since July 10, this 39-year-old former finance employee has been wedged day and night on a yoga mat, under the courtyard of a train station near the Olympic stadium.
His health is starting to deteriorate and he says he now suffers from the slightest effort.
After having tried everything before the Japanese courts, he took this action in the hope of pushing Paris to take “
sanctions
” against Japan for non-compliance with its international commitments on children's rights.
Read also: Abduction of binational children: Japan pinned in the European Parliament
The principle of shared custody in the event of parental separation does not exist in Japan, an exception among industrialized countries.
Also, parental abduction is a widespread and tolerated practice in the country.
In August 2018, Mr. Fichot's Japanese wife left their home with their two children, now aged 4 and 6.
He hasn't seen them since.
Local associations estimate that parental abductions concern 150,000 children each year in the archipelago.
A spokesperson"
Installed for 15 years in Japan, Mr. Fichot has become a "
spokesperson
" for many Japanese in the same situation as him, believes François Roussel, adviser to French people abroad elected in Japan interviewed by AFP.
A judicial investigation for the removal of minors targeting his wife was opened in France at the end of 2020 and Mr. Fichot is part of a group of ten parents from four different countries who filed a complaint against Japan with the Human Rights Council of United Nations in 2019.
Read also: The stolen children of Japan
But within "
2-3 months
", the Japanese justice will pronounce his divorce and from there, he will have "
no more legal ties
" with his boy and his daughter, explains Mr. Fichot. “
I really wanted to maintain this link to give France a way to negotiate a return of my children (...) and there, France has just wasted the last cartridge.
""
It is as if my children have been stripped of their nationality. They are orphans from France.
"
